


Meet Matilda and Augustus

by VerbenaHA



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: F/M, Giving Birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 06:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12451879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerbenaHA/pseuds/VerbenaHA
Summary: Poor Laure is having a baby... and no one really thought she could!





	Meet Matilda and Augustus

**Author's Note:**

> Female Laure is an OC that I work on in my spare time for fun. If you have any questions, please find my tumblr:   
> Mrwhistlingsweets.tumblr.com  
> Thank you and enjoy!

10:04 pm

                “Paschal, I _cannot_ have children!” she said it despite the months of nausea, crying, and her growing belly. Laure said it despite the infant curling in her womb trying to get out. She leaned against the corridor wall, one bare foot on the stone floor, the other on carpet, and tried to breathe deep. Someone could walk out of the kitchens and see her like this and she did not want that.

                She had been having nightmares about this for weeks now. All manner of horrors were swelling in her mind. “What if the baby is like uncle?” she panicked. Or like Kastor, for that matter. What if this baby was jealous and cruel? What if, what if, what if? Laure was going to have a baby and she wanted one that was calm and at peace, humble and charitable. But the past aggressively reminded her that many children grew up selfish.

                She tried to counter the thoughts by thinking of Damianos: he would be home any second. He would hold her hand and everything would be okay—she paused. Reality was often the calm, ungentle voice in her mind that reminded her that things could go wrong, and keep getting worse…

                Except for when 'Damen' came into her life and everything turned out all right. But he could not help her with the pain in her womb. Laure thought of Matilda, the daughter they adopted from Vask, Damianos’ flesh and blood. Then she thought of pain again.

                Paschal was holding her up, quiet and strong. Another surge of pain was coming and she should be lying down when it happened. Another reminder that, yes, she was having a baby. Her Majesty, Queen of Vere and Akielos and so on and so on was having a baby despite _everything_. It took thirty five years to make it happen.

                This is going to be the most difficult night of my life, she thought.

 

10:25 pm

                Back in her own room, her own bed. Technically the King’s wing had been closer, but Laure decided against giving birth in Damianos’ bed, around the slaves— or rather, the future ‘servants.’ _That_ road was ongoing, long and treacherous, but Laure was determined to make the next generation see things her way.

                She clutched at a bit of gown with one hand and a bed sheet in the other. Paschal was the only person in the room for a moment and she did not care that he could see her fear. He had seen her cry from scrapes on the playground and stitched her through gashes in battle. Damianos… where was he?

                Nursemaids swarmed the room with wash basins and rags, lighting incense and doing a plethora of unnecessary things.

                Paschal winked at her. “If it bothers you, I’ll make them stop.”

                “I almost like their fussing,” she said. She had relaxed her hands and folded them on her breast. “Almost makes me feel calm.”

                “Nothing to worry about,” he muttered, “You are healthy enough for one child.”

                Laure noted how he specified _one_. Could there be more?

 

11:31 pm

                King Damianos threw a fit when he saw the commotion in Laure’s rooms. All around the Queen’s wing of his castle were candles burning, burning, burning. Smoke was everywhere, and a little obnoxious chanting too. Laure remembered what Damianos had said about the death of his father; how the doctors had worked for ages under the same conditions.

                “Where’s Matilda?” Laure asked when the king sat down by her side.

                “I told her to change clothes. How are you feeling?”

                “Fine,” she lied. “How was your trip?”

                “Terrible,” he lied. “I’m happier to be with you. Are you sure you’re not in too much pain?”

                Laure could hear Matilda’s heavy footfall running full speed down the corridor outside the open door. “I’m certain,” she said. She leaned forward to see Matilda as soon as she came in.

                “Is it here!?” the girl cried.

                “No, not yet,” Laure sighed.

                Matilda pouted. “Paschal, remember mama and papa promised I could help!”

                Paschal wagged a finger: “Don’t shout, Her Majesty needs quiet.”

                Laure groaned from another contraction. Paschal shuffled lightly and said, “I’ve done all I need to. I’ll send a couple of nurses in—two. That’s more than enough, Laure, I promise.”

                “Why does mama want two?” Matilda asked.

                Damianos reached over and took his daughter by the arm, “Baby, why don’t we go take a ride while we wait?”

                “You go, I’m staying,” she said. There was bitter finality there.

 

11:52 pm

                “…and then she screamed so hard her eye started bleeding!”

                “Matilda…” said Laure.

                “Oh, sorry mama, did I upset you? I know you’re in a lot of pain and all, but—”

                “Please, just…” Laure put a hand to her forehead. “I do want to hear your beautiful voice, just… talk a little slower.

                Poor Matilda. She was fifteen now, and still growing. Her menstruation had passed, her baby teeth had fallen out, her breasts were growing… a real woman. She was a handsome woman too: her father’s lovely features with all the beauty of a Vaskian warrior. If only she would not talk as quickly.

                “My point is, I’ve seen it all, mama, nothing can embarrass me. The women in the tribes taught me very, very, very well, I promise!”

                “As long as you stop talking about the poor girl who shit the bed.”

                “Ah, but it’s so funny!”

                This time a midwife actually turned around and pointed out, “No, it isn’t. It’s only natural.” Laure chuckled.

 

1:00 am

                Laure was beside herself with aggravation. She had yelled at Matilda to shut up twice. It was only the two of them and one nurse, the other had gone out to fetch food. She came back and the others munched on cheese, but Laure insisted she wasn’t hungry through repeated grunting noises.

                The baby was coming slowly. “Oh!” said the eldest, a practiced midwife, “Be any minute now!” And she meant it. Laure sighed. She almost wanted Damianos to come back and hold her hand, but did not want him to see her like this. She was sweating hard, and aching, eyes puffy.

                Laure heard Matilda’s voice again: “…wait, this is your first birth?”

                The little nurse nodded ascent and said, “Yes, and I am much honored!”

                Laure looked at the frail little thing with dark skin and crinkled black hair pulled back in a gold clip. She wore a little pin of a lion, signifying her as part of Damianos’ household. She must have an exceptional mind in order to be here with the queen. Laure let her eyes fix on the lion pin to give her a distraction until the tiny nurse noticed she was staring.

                “What is your name?” Laure asked.

                “Aikaterine, Exalted.”

                Laure looked at the older midwife, “And you, I believe your name is Eudoxia? How are your children?” 

                “Fit as horses, thank you Exalted.”

                “Wait, wait!” Matilda almost shouted: “This is your FIRST TIME at a birth?”

                “Matilda, I’m sure she’s fine,” Laure scolded.

                “How come this toy of a girl gets to cut the cord and not me?”

                Poor Matilda. Laure sighed. “I didn’t say that—”

                “You said you wanted me to stand aside and wait until I was needed: I’m not needed if these two are here!” Matilda actually stamped her foot.

                “Then wait outside with you father—UGH!”

                The midwife leaned over; “Baby is coming, wait to push on my mark, Exalted.”

                “Don’t call me that,” Laure said. “I mean… please… just Laure for now, I can’t think straight…”

 

1:15 am

                Ordinarily, Laure would remain silent as much as possible. She would not shout, not even gasp aloud if she could help it. A stab to the shoulder had been as bad as this, maybe worse. She should remain regal and proud whenever possible, no matter the pain. However, when the midwife insisted that crying out would help, Laure did not refuse.

                “Are you ever going to have this baby?” Matilda asked from the corner.

 

2:00 am

                Proud, angry, wonderful Matilda had been allowed to carry the baby through the birth canal after all. The midwife saw no harm. Everything went well.

                Damianos held his first born son in his arms; black hair like his father, light skin like his mother. The newborn bag of bones and fat was ugly as sin, but it would grow, and if it was anything like his parents, he would be handsome. Laure reached out her arms to take a turn holding him.

                The moment the baby began to cry, Matilda had looked out at the moon and said, “We’re calling him Augustus, for luck.”

                Laure’s heart skipped a beat in worry. She frowned and her brow furrowed. Was there really such a thing as luck? But Damianos squeezed her hand and smiled.

                Later when the baby open its blue eyes and Laure saw Prince Augustus smile, she knew. She knew he was nothing like his ancestors before him. He would be happy and smile and love Matilda as Matilda so fearlessly loved and protected him. No more fighting, no more wars. He took after his mother and father and would rule gracefully, without malice. All would be well.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! Thank you for taking the time to put up with my crazy head canons. Let me know what you thought of this, what worked and what didn't work. There's not much to this fanfic, but I'm REALLY curious and want to know your thoughts!


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